primalmommy on mon 6 jun 05
Lori wrote:
>The energy I put into my work just needs to come out and I love to
>share what I do know. Maybe I can educate and improve the opinion of
>the people in the community (I live and work in) so they will start to
>believe that art is essential rather than extraneous.
The way people can tell whether something is essential or extraneous is
often the price. If you don't value what you do, why should they?
Teaching isn't the same as pricing pottery. I live in Toledo, Ohio,
which is no cosmopolitan art-mecca either, but when somebody wants to
learn to throw a pot, I charge $30 an hour for private lessons. This is
a failing, rust-belt, factories-moved-to-Mexico economy, but I have
students willing to pay. And I am a really good teacher, and they are
happy.
Lessons I teach at the guild -- ten students on wheels -- are a bargain
at about $17 per 2 hour class, and include clay and glazes and firing
and a blister pack of (crappy) tools to keep... (toledopottersguild.org)
but I am not a guild. I have to fix my own wheels when they break down,
change my elements, pay the electric bill, buy the clay and glaze
materials and pay shipping. I would LOSE money at the rates you're
asking, even if I did not value my time at all.
Have you priced private piano lessons? Violin? Personal trainers at the
gym? My babysitter makes more than you are charging.
I learned an important lesson when I started, years ago, doing a
new-agey women's group clay class with spiritual, symbolic projects.
Five evenings, once a week, my backyard studio. (I was charging $45
each.)
A woman called and said her group of 7 friends from AA wanted to sign up
together. "But I'm not happy about the price." I started to stammer
something and she said, "Seventy-five bucks per person, and that's
final." She must have heard my jaw hit the ground -- she said, "Women
need to learn to value their work." And hung up. They were a good bunch
and had a great time and I never lowered my rates after that.
Sometimes just having access to the equipment is half the battle. I have
seen people sign up again and again for expensive classes just to have
access to a wheel. I have two friends paying me $20/session each -- just
to come and use my wheels/studio once a week, (plus fees for firing).
They are thrilled, and I don't even have to be out there.
Certain people in any town get sick of paint-a-plate and craft-a-candle
and want to make pots on a wheel. University programs are not cheap, and
there aren't a lot of options for access to a wheel. It's pointless for
a "wheel-curious" type to buy one if there's no kiln, and once the
hobbyist buys a kiln (and vents it) there is the clays-and-glazes
learning curve.
You may just be the best game in town if you can find the right people
-- ones that will be excited about learning and won't make you nuts. I
get adults, kids -- pre-teen girls, a lot-- who want more than the
"mommy-look-what-I-made" class -- the ones who want to be BETTER at
throwing, and who won't cry when we cut their pots in half to check the
thickness. Their parents pay more for gymnastics and soccer and never
flinch when they write the check -- the kids leave fired up and
confident and wanting to come back.
Teaching one or two at a time is miles better than teaching a room full
of people at once. You can track the student's progress, know when to
step in or step back, and you can pick just the students you like. When
somebody calls to find space for the kid from hell -- "Sorry, no
openings...". My good ones are welcome any time, I schedule around their
hockey games and piano recitals and they schedule around my camping
trips and workshops (Josh DeWeese in Tennessee in July!)
Flexibility and a great student-teacher ratio. It's a homeschooler's
dream.
My friend Edith Franklin -- a contemporary of Bonnie's -- says, "Why
spend your life scrubbing toilets and mopping floors? Hire somebody to
do it, and go to the studio instead and make the pots to pay for it."
(Her "houseboy" is 70, and has been cleaning for her since her kids were
little.)
Edith's got a point. I found a lady who cleans houses for $20 an hour
and offered to trade for wheel lessons. She starts tomorrow -- we clean
together for 2 hours, then throw after lunch.
Which means I need to go to bed, so I can get up and clean before she
gets here ;0) Of course, I may need to wake up Jeff, after reading
Tony's firing theories. (fanning myself and blushing.)
Anyway, Lori, I hope I don't sound bossy (occupational hazard for a
mommy) -- but use Edith for your yardstick. She loves being bossy. How
many $100 porcelain bowls could you make in the time you are spending
teaching that guy how to throw? Charge accordingly!
Yours
Kelly
Just in from mixing and testing glazes in my studio with some beginning
potters -- (great folks, lots of laughs) -- who are paying me for the
experience. I do a lot of charitable work in this world -- but pottery
ain't it.
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marianne kuiper milks on tue 7 jun 05
Hi
I'm sorry, but I just HAVE to reply to this.
I charge more for my violin and piano lessons than
anyone in our rural area. That's only $30/hr, v. $60
an hour I was paid when I was 23 years old in Europe.
And both reflect the areas in which I lived and the
quality of my teaching, which I truly believe has been
excellent, and the best I could give each day. Perhaps
that's why I am sick of it now. Most people in this
area charge $7-$15. This sets, in my mind, the
standard I offer. And they know it.
Each summer I teach a small group of children
something for which I charge NADA. The only
requirement is dedication or it's their first and last
invitation.
Some summers I had ensembles. Last summer I took 8
highschoolers to Europe for a month (8th and last
trip), for which I paid 100% my own way. (LOTS of
teaching)
This summer (next week) I am teaching 5 kids,
ages10-16 to sling mud. (They will be the Revelstone
Mudslingers) They'll be here 8 full days. They have to
bring a bucket and a sponge, pay for their clay and
always be there by 9, not to leave before 3. It is my
way to be a volunteer. I cannot stand blood (byebye
hospital) and do not want to stick on labels in a
library. This is my way to pass on those things I love
most. I have been given SO much in life by loving
people...a few free things are needed to pass it on. I
think. Hope I don't offend anyone.
Marianne at.... travelartnmusic@yahoo.com ;-)
--- primalmommy wrote:
> Lori wrote:
>
> >The energy I put into my work just needs to come
> out and I love to
> >share what I do know. Maybe I can educate and
> improve the opinion of
> >the people in the community (I live and work in) so
> they will start to
> >believe that art is essential rather than
> extraneous.
>
> The way people can tell whether something is
> essential or extraneous is
> often the price. If you don't value what you do, why
> should they?
>
> Teaching isn't the same as pricing pottery. I live
> in Toledo, Ohio,
> which is no cosmopolitan art-mecca either, but when
> somebody wants to
> learn to throw a pot, I charge $30 an hour for
> private lessons. This is
> a failing, rust-belt, factories-moved-to-Mexico
> economy, but I have
> students willing to pay. And I am a really good
> teacher, and they are
> happy.
>
> Lessons I teach at the guild -- ten students on
> wheels -- are a bargain
> at about $17 per 2 hour class, and include clay and
> glazes and firing
> and a blister pack of (crappy) tools to keep...
> (toledopottersguild.org)
> but I am not a guild. I have to fix my own wheels
> when they break down,
> change my elements, pay the electric bill, buy the
> clay and glaze
> materials and pay shipping. I would LOSE money at
> the rates you're
> asking, even if I did not value my time at all.
>
> Have you priced private piano lessons? Violin?
> Personal trainers at the
> gym? My babysitter makes more than you are charging.
>
> I learned an important lesson when I started, years
> ago, doing a
> new-agey women's group clay class with spiritual,
> symbolic projects.
> Five evenings, once a week, my backyard studio. (I
> was charging $45
> each.)
>
> A woman called and said her group of 7 friends from
> AA wanted to sign up
> together. "But I'm not happy about the price." I
> started to stammer
> something and she said, "Seventy-five bucks per
> person, and that's
> final." She must have heard my jaw hit the ground --
> she said, "Women
> need to learn to value their work." And hung up.
> They were a good bunch
> and had a great time and I never lowered my rates
> after that.
>
> Sometimes just having access to the equipment is
> half the battle. I have
> seen people sign up again and again for expensive
> classes just to have
> access to a wheel. I have two friends paying me
> $20/session each -- just
> to come and use my wheels/studio once a week, (plus
> fees for firing).
> They are thrilled, and I don't even have to be out
> there.
>
> Certain people in any town get sick of paint-a-plate
> and craft-a-candle
> and want to make pots on a wheel. University
> programs are not cheap, and
> there aren't a lot of options for access to a wheel.
> It's pointless for
> a "wheel-curious" type to buy one if there's no
> kiln, and once the
> hobbyist buys a kiln (and vents it) there is the
> clays-and-glazes
> learning curve.
>
> You may just be the best game in town if you can
> find the right people
> -- ones that will be excited about learning and
> won't make you nuts. I
> get adults, kids -- pre-teen girls, a lot-- who want
> more than the
> "mommy-look-what-I-made" class -- the ones who want
> to be BETTER at
> throwing, and who won't cry when we cut their pots
> in half to check the
> thickness. Their parents pay more for gymnastics and
> soccer and never
> flinch when they write the check -- the kids leave
> fired up and
> confident and wanting to come back.
>
> Teaching one or two at a time is miles better than
> teaching a room full
> of people at once. You can track the student's
> progress, know when to
> step in or step back, and you can pick just the
> students you like. When
> somebody calls to find space for the kid from hell
> -- "Sorry, no
> openings...". My good ones are welcome any time, I
> schedule around their
> hockey games and piano recitals and they schedule
> around my camping
> trips and workshops (Josh DeWeese in Tennessee in
> July!)
>
> Flexibility and a great student-teacher ratio. It's
> a homeschooler's
> dream.
>
> My friend Edith Franklin -- a contemporary of
> Bonnie's -- says, "Why
> spend your life scrubbing toilets and mopping
> floors? Hire somebody to
> do it, and go to the studio instead and make the
> pots to pay for it."
> (Her "houseboy" is 70, and has been cleaning for her
> since her kids were
> little.)
>
> Edith's got a point. I found a lady who cleans
> houses for $20 an hour
> and offered to trade for wheel lessons. She starts
> tomorrow -- we clean
> together for 2 hours, then throw after lunch.
>
> Which means I need to go to bed, so I can get up and
> clean before she
> gets here ;0) Of course, I may need to wake up Jeff,
> after reading
> Tony's firing theories. (fanning myself and
> blushing.)
>
> Anyway, Lori, I hope I don't sound bossy
> (occupational hazard for a
> mommy) -- but use Edith for your yardstick. She
> loves being bossy. How
> many $100 porcelain bowls could you make in the time
> you are spending
> teaching that guy how to throw? Charge accordingly!
>
> Yours
> Kelly
> Just in from mixing and testing glazes in my studio
> with some beginning
> potters -- (great folks, lots of laughs) -- who are
> paying me for the
> experience. I do a lot of charitable work in this
> world -- but pottery
> ain't it.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >
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